Backtrack (Armada)
| The name or term "Backtrack" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Backtrack (disambiguation). |
- Backtrack is a Mini-Con from the Armada portion of the Unicron Trilogy continuity family.
Backtrack is a speed demon on the field, and a shameless liar in his personal dealings. He makes empty promises that he has no intentions of keeping, goes back on his word at the first chance, and makes no excuses or apologies for his behavior. This makes him highly unpopular with other Mini-Cons and the Autobots, but his skills as a recon soldier make him very valuable, much to his teammates’ chagrin. Still, maybe Spiral can beat him into line.
Fiction
Armada cartoon
After the Decepticons got ahold of the Star Saber, Backtrack was among the new Mini-Cons seen in their possession. Conspiracy
On a later mission, Megatron gathered Backtrack and a number of other Mini-Cons to help him in a scheme against Optimus Prime. Prime managed to win the Mini-Cons' loyalty, however, by absorbing their laser fire without resistance or fighting back. Moved by his actions, Backtrack and the others turned on Megatron and accompanied Optimus back to Autobot headquarters. Vow
As the Autobots prepared their new spaceship to chase the Decepticons back to Cybertron, Backtrack and the united Mini-Cons were seen helping with the construction work. Remorse Backtrack and the Mini-Cons all chose to willingly follow the Autobots into space aboard the Axalon, fighting alongside them against the Decepticons. Depart
Dreamwave Armada comic
Backtrack and the rest of the Street Speed Team were among the Mini-Cons who lived on Earth's moon following their escape from Cybertron. Armada #9 Unfortunately, Dualor brought the Earth-based Mini-Cons there, which also brought the Decepticons. While the moonbase was under attack, Backtrack and the others escaped in a rocket-pod. Armada #11 The pod crashed in northern Alaska, leaving the Street Speed Team, Inferno, and Comettor deactivated. Fire & Ice Ultimately the Autobots were successful in retrieving the pod. Armada #13
Backtrack later returned to Cybertron and helped Over-Run activate the Mini-Con Matrix, which dealt a critical blow to Unicron. The End
Cybertron toy bios
The Street Speed Team were sent to Velocitron as advance scouts for the Autobots. The planet's mass of winding high-speed tracks really appealed to them, to the point where they started having a hard time tearing themselves from the road to get their missions underway.
Games
Transformers: Battle Tactics
Backtrack Armada participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! He was an Epic character who was available as a reward to 100 leagues in the "Armada V: Requiem" event.Transformers: Battle Tactics
Toys
Armada
- Street Speed Mini-Con Team (Basic, 2003)
- Backtrack transforms into a Cadillac XLR luxury car, available only in a three-pack with Oval and Spiral. Like his fellow Street Speed Mini-Con Team members, his car mode wheels are designed to allow for much faster rolling on smooth surfaces.
- In the Hasbro line, the Street Speed team were released in the third assortment of Mini-Con teams. In Japan, it was part of the massive first wave of Legend of the Microns product, released in December 2002. Aside from packaging, there are no noteworthy differences between the two releases. The Armada release was also made available in a clamshelled two-pack at various retail outlets. So far, all samples of packs with the Street Speed Team known have come with the Adventure Mini-Con Team as their pack-in partners.
- This mold was also used to make Redline, and Armada Side Burn. It was planned to be used for Energon Override and packed with Ultra Magnus, but that release was changed late in the production run and given a different Mini-Con Team.
- In Japan, the Street Speed Team was available both on an individual card and in a multi-pack with "Silverbolt" (the Japanese version of Super-Con Blurr) and his partner "Turbo" (aka Incinerator), released concurrently with the individually-boxed Silverbolt as part of the third wave of Legend of the Microns product. All the toys in the set are identical to their individual releases.
- Auto Overdrive Edition (Mini-Con, 2003)
- A black and white redeco of the original Backtrack toy. The "Overdrive Edition" redeco of the Team were given away as individual pieces (not as a complete Team!) at the 17-day Japanese "World Hobby Fair" in January/February of 2003. In April that year, they were also available as random (individual) giveaways at Ito Yokaido stores with the purchase of any Legend of the Microns product.
- Street Speed Mini-Con Team (Basic, 2003)
- A gray-and-tan redeco of Backtrack was planned to be released as part of a "refresh" version of the Street Speed Team for the "The Unicron Battles" subline imprint of Armada. The coloration of the Team was a "one-off" of the Takara Overdrive Edition version, with each toy’s main color shifted over to another one. Though the full Team was displayed in Hasbro's OTFCC 2003 "upcoming products" case, and some carded samples have surfaced through ahem-hem "unofficial channels", the set was ultimately never released at retail.
 Proceed on your way to oblivion. |
Cybertron
- Street Speed Mini-Con Team (Basic-class, 2005)
- A retooling of the first Backtrack mold, he transforms into a modified Cadillac XLR, with metal-flake base plastic. He was only available in a complete three-pack with his also-retooled teammates.
- This version of the mold was used to make the Micron Booster Dice.
Notes
- For whatever reason, the Street Speed Team is the only Armada Mini-Con Team to not have an X-Dimension release.
- The Japanese Galaxy Force version of the Street Speed Team is one of the very few mass-retail "new"-mold Japanese Transformers toys to not show up in the accompanying cartoon.
- Backtrack's Galaxy Force name "Sullow" seems to be some kind of Japanglish mix-pun on "yellow" and "slow".
Foreign names
- Japanese: Auto (オート Ōto), Sullow (Galaxy Force, スロー Surō)
- Korean: Auto (오토 Oto)
